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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24047029">Boy born with wings</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunsetSwish/pseuds/SunsetSwish'>SunsetSwish</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shadowhunters (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Angst, Downworld races exist, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Malec Discord Server WINGO, Non-Graphic Violence, Orphans, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Relationship, Time Skips, Wingfic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 16:53:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,506</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24047029</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunsetSwish/pseuds/SunsetSwish</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Written as a fill for "born with wings" for the winged bingo.</p>
<p>"At the very beginning, the orphanage used to be Catarina's and Magnus's project, which is how Magnus knows a lot of the Downworlders living here now, including Maia and Alexander, who are currently the oldest.<br/>
Magnus was there years ago, finding children in danger himself or being there helping Cat look after them.<br/>
Times have changed since those days, thank gods. There is less suffering, now. Fewer conflicts, fewer demons, fewer orphans. The war is far in the past for the young people living in the now. Still, there are other problems on their minds."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Boy born with wings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I still don't understand why you can't do more about this," Maia is pressing the issue and Magnus keeps frustrating her with answers she doesn't like.</p>
<p>"We're doing as much as we can without becoming law enforcement," Magnus says patiently. "This is not an issue warlocks created, Maia. We don't have the means to end it."</p>
<p>"But you can't just sit and watch what's happening. A line has been crossed a long time ago and it keeps getting messier."</p>
<p>"It does, but once again, that is not up to myself or other warlocks to solve. Last time we stepped in, we were called out for 'abusing power' and 'playing favorites' because we're the ones with magic and objectively the strongest. In the past two of my people packed up and moved out of a certain community at the time, taking their talents with them, because they've had enough of all that and I didn't blame them."</p>
<p>Maia crosses her arms. "Well maybe if did something sooner, it could have been stopped before getting that bad."</p>
<p>"If <em>you</em> don't sort it out between your people and the vampires yourselves, it'll <em>never</em> stop. Vampires have been pushing it too far, no one's denying it, but werewolves have been doing their fair share of provocation. It isn't you or your friends, but there are others. If it was one-sided, I'd see more reason to intervene to balance things out. But as it is, both of your kinds have been looking for fights lately."</p>
<p>Magnus sighs. "It's always the same song and dance, Maia. I know you've grown up without witnessing it much, but it has happened before. You have to either figure things out or completely separate from the night children."</p>
<p>She looks disappointed but doesn't argue anymore. Magnus doesn't like this situation but he really can't do what she wants.</p>
<p>Not wanting her to leave completely with nothing, he says: "Look, I'm going to <em>help</em> you, of course, but I'm not going to <em>order</em> or force anyone."</p>
<p>"Fine. I'll… think about solving it ourselves."</p>
<p>"Please do. You know I'm not doing this on purpose, Maia. I have to think about the consequences for everyone."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Before she goes, she says: "Alec has been wondering how you are. He isn't here today because he went to the Lakestone community but he'll be back probably this evening."</p>
<p>"Hmm. Well, while I'm here, I suppose I should come over and redo your wards and see him then."</p>
<p>"You will do that?"</p>
<p>"Yes, of course. <em>That</em> is a warlock's job."</p>
<p>She still lingers.</p>
<p>"You do remember it's his birthday soon?"</p>
<p>"Of course," he lies. He did not remember. Not because he doesn't care, but because time flies differently for a warlock. He doesn't remember how many years exactly have passed since he last visited the community and saw the winged boy. Yes, Magnus did show up for several birthdays but not all of them and lately… things have been a little complicated in his life.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Magnus shows up in the afternoon as promised, strolling through the streets, looking at everything and growing impressed with how well Downworlders have been doing here. This place has never been in a bad shape but now it's thriving. It's hard for it not to, when it has people like Maia looking after its wellbeing. Alexander, too. He's always been such a hardworking child. And most importantly, this community is Catarina's project. Her baby. She resides here almost permanently, travelling out to heal and aid others with magic whenever needed. Magnus has been meeting with her on such occasions, both away from their homes.</p>
<p>This particular community has grown at the same pace the orphans who made it up grew. There are whole families, too, but there are more orphans here than in other places. Some of them grow up and move away but many remain nearby.</p>
<p>At the very beginning, it used to be Catarina's and Magnus's project, which is how he knows a lot of the Downworlders living here, including Maia and Alexander.</p>
<p>Magnus was there years ago, finding children in danger himself or being there helping with looking after them.</p>
<p>Times have changed since those days, thank gods. There is less suffering, now. Fewer conflicts, fewer demons. The war is <em>far</em> in the past for the young people living in the now. It isn't far at all for Magnus or Catarina, or Ragnor, or Dot, though. It's almost fresh in their memory. It is, among other reasons, why some warlocks take communities under their wing, despite wanting to stay out of race politics that don't specifically involve warlocks.</p>
<p>21 years ago, Magnus walked the streets of a different community, one which still bore the marks of the war and the past fear still lingered in the air even though the people were moving on with their lives.</p>
<p>Back then, conflicts between the different races of all demon-blooded beings were sharper, more violent, resting only for a while before suddenly blowing up in one district or a whole small town, even when mundanes lived around there.</p>
<p>Back then, Magnus was saying to them the same words he said to Maia. Back then, it was still as true as it is now.</p>
<p>Only, back then, when things went wrong, the consequences of it were dire.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>That was why 21 years ago, Magnus was walking from the place of his portal to his destination: the meeting of the Downworld community in the market concealed from mundane senses. There were others already there – his warlock friends, the Alpha of the pack, the vampire leaders and the rest of Downworlders who were able to show up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Magnus reaches them, he doesn't wait for the Alpha or the Clan leader to talk.</p>
<p>"What on <em>Earth</em> made you do what you did?" he speaks specifically to several werewolves and several vampires.</p>
<p>They're standing on two sides of the gathering, with the Alpha, Catarina and Dot in the middle nearby Magnus.</p>
<p>"Meliorn has kept us informed," Magnus continues. "I <em>told</em> your leaders to expect an attack within a week and I <em>know </em>for a fact that they passed the message on."</p>
<p>One of the alpha-wannabes speaks up.</p>
<p>"So we're supposed to cower for days, fearing what might now even come-"</p>
<p>"Within a week," Magnus repeats with force. "<em>This</em> is the fifth day. You didn't last even five days, looking for trouble instead of watching yours and everyone's backs."</p>
<p>He looks around the whole gathering, not just the few werewolves.</p>
<p>"We only responded to the dogs' biting," one of the vampire spits. "We're not going to turn the other cheek when-"</p>
<p>Magnus's eyes flash gold.</p>
<p>"Don't try me. You were <em>waiting</em> for them to make a mistake. The only one you'll make a fool of today are yourselves, not me. Everyone knew you were loitering outside the werewolf bar. It's a shame <em>you</em> lived to see the day and a family of four didn't."</p>
<p>That got them silent for a moment, before one of them got enough courage to speak up again.</p>
<p>"We didn't kill them, demons did."</p>
<p>"Yes, demons did," Magnus repeats coldly. "Demons <em>you</em> were supposed to be on the lookout <em>for</em>. For a <em>week</em>. During the war, we spent <em>months</em> waiting in fear in hidden places and you couldn't do this much."</p>
<p>Magnus shakes his head.</p>
<p>He's angry. Gods, he's so angry. Those idiots, living in a time of peace and still ruining things for everyone around them.</p>
<p>And they try to justify it.</p>
<p>"The dogs attacked us, we fought back. It's not our fault they called more of their kind to come."</p>
<p>At that, the Alpha, up until now staying silently near Magnus, speaks up.</p>
<p>"Maybe they wouldn't have been so eager to fight if you hadn't caused Arthur's sister's accident last month. But it doesn't matter." She looks at her people. "I will not defend the fools in my Pack who were involved in the beginning of the fighting last night. I'm not here for them. I'm here to make sure no injustice is made and to back up what Magnus Bane says we should do about this."</p>
<p>Voices of dissatisfaction raise among the werewolves and the Alpha growls.</p>
<p>"Who wishes to speak up?" she asks. "Who wishes to explain how they were in the <em>right</em>? Arthur? Your sister didn't even die in the accident, she's fine now. The people who <em>died</em> in their <em>homes</em>, defenseless against demons are not fine!"</p>
<p>She points to the residential part of the town, to the right of them.</p>
<p>"Warlocks have spent the early hours of the morning healing burned mundanes and casting memory spells while you ran home with your tails between your legs to check on your own families. If they weren't already there with you fighting vampires, that is."</p>
<p>"We lost more people in one night than in the last five months counted together," Catarina adds. She's calm and collected on the outside but Magnus knows she's as angry as he is.</p>
<p>"Before we return to fixing everything, we have three things we can do," Magnus says. "I would not mind banishing at least eight of you right now but it's probably not going to happen. We can take a general vote about what to do and let you off with one warning, and the requirement that you work from this day onwards to make amends for it, even though you can never make up for those who died. However, regardless of what the community decides today, if the situation <em>ever</em> repeats to any degree… I <em>will</em> take my own steps to ensure that's the last time, no matter what your leaders will think of it. Is my meaning clear?"</p>
<p>They don't answer but they don't protest, either. Magnus knows the current Alpha won't disagree with him and he may not be sure of what the vampire clan leader thinks, but he won't step in Magnus's way either.</p>
<p>At that point, Catarina has to excuse herself and leave to return to fixing the damage and so do several others.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Magnus finds her later. Dorothea has arrived by then to help them out even though she lives almost halfway across the world now. She's with Catarina when Magnus finds them and she's holding a bundle in her arms, rocking it.</p>
<p>"Whose baby is it?" Magnus asks, coming closer to look at it.</p>
<p>"Right now, no one's," Cat answers him, coming out of the side room. "He was found in an empty room because he was crying."</p>
<p>"Abandoned?"</p>
<p>Cat shakes her head. "I don't believe so. He's several weeks old, so he wasn't abandoned at birth for being a warlock. He looks good, well-fed. That is, at least up until yesterday."</p>
<p>"Where was he? Were there no signs that his parents were killed by demons?"</p>
<p>"There were signs of demons in the house," Catarina admits. "But not in the room he was in. It is possible his parents or whatever caretakers he had left the building."</p>
<p>Magnus thinks about it.</p>
<p>"If they put up a fight, they could have died drawing a demon away from their baby."</p>
<p>"Yes, that is a plausible explanation."</p>
<p>Magnus looks down at the small face. The boy isn't sleeping but he's calm in Dot's care.</p>
<p>"You said he wasn't abandoned for being a warlock? Why do you say he is one?"</p>
<p>"The mark. You should see it," Dot answers. She walks over to one of the empty beds for the healer's patients and gently lays the bundle down. She unwraps it and then picks the baby up again in just the diaper, careful to hold his head up. Now, Magnus can see his back and the twin appendages growing from it. They're as tiny as the rest of the baby, awkward like a baby bird's, featherless wings. Right now they're soft limbs, easy to swaddle along with the rest of the newborn.</p>
<p>"Wings are rare," Magnus notes. He knows maybe three warlocks who have wings and all three pairs are very different from each other.</p>
<p>"They are," Catarina says. "I believe his mother had to be mundane. There are no missing warlocks who have been pregnant recently."</p>
<p>"Hmm. I will go look at his home," Magnus says and after he gets the address, he leaves.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He doesn't find much. The place is furnished normally but there is a significant lack of personal items around. Maybe it was temporary for whoever was the boy's guardian. Magnus does find a suitcase with woman's clothes. He finds two baby blankets, nappies, some small items, basic cosmetics. There isn't any baby food that he can see, which should mean it was indeed his mother who lived here.</p>
<p>There are no wards on the place that Magnus can sense.</p>
<p>He leaves a note on the table, which is the most visible place for anyone entering the apartment. He writes that the baby was found and is safe at the clinic's address. If the mother is by any chance still alive, even if she's mundane, having a warlock baby makes her part of the community and she should meet with them.</p>
<p>Magnus returns to Catarina with the suitcase in hand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Things slowly go back to normal and the community heals. Sadly, Catarina had to enlist Dot's help with looking after the orphans they've acquired after the demon attack. The winged boy is the youngest of them and requires the most attention. Magnus helps with everything he can – the older children, potions, magical repairs, replacing all damaged wards. And in late evenings, when he's tired after the whole day, he finds himself sitting down with the baby in his arms, feeding him from the bottle and telling the little warlock stories to help him sleep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When he has the time, Magnus looks through the suitcase again and it turns out it was the right thing to do – in an inside pocket, almost hidden, there is a photograph. The picture itself doesn't help any because on it is the newborn himself and not much else other than a frilly blanket. On the back, however, is a date, time, and a name: Alexander.</p>
<p>Magnus goes back to Catarina's with this new knowledge, and from there, the baby boy gains some of his identity back.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>His feathers start coming in properly when he's four. Before that, downy fluff protected the sensitive skin of the wings and between that and the black curls on top of his head, he makes an adorable sight.</p>
<p>Proper feathers force his guardians to research proper care for them but it's not really a hardship.</p>
<p>At that time, Magnus stops living in the community, only coming back regularly to help his friend with some aspects of running an actual orphanage instead of just the clinic. Catarina has other permanent helpers from warlocks and the pack so it's not like Magnus is needed for much except major spells.</p>
<p>On top of that, a young werewolf, Luke, has shown up recently with a baby girl in tow, also a werewolf, and asked if he could stay in return for his help with anything that needed to be done around the clinic and the orphanage, so that was lucky, too. Luke explained that he found Maia and although there were no blood ties between them, he felt being werewolves made them enough of a family.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>Magnus finds Alexander sitting cross-legged behind the old abandoned streetcar. For some reason, it's the best local attraction for children living around here.</p>
<p>The eight-year-old is hunched over, his black wings forming a shield behind his back and curling slightly around his sides. He doesn't pay attention to Magnus sneaking up on him until the warlock speaks.</p>
<p>"Am I interrupting something?" he asks and the boy's head snaps up and he twists to look at Magnus.</p>
<p>"Oh," he says and doesn't smile like he usually does when Magnus comes for a visit.</p>
<p>"What's wrong?"</p>
<p>"Nothing," the boy answers shortly and looks down at the ground again.</p>
<p>Magnus walks over to sit down as well, mirroring Alexander.</p>
<p>"You know you can tell me anything, don't you? Even if you don't want to tell it to Catarina… Is it girl trouble?"</p>
<p>The boy shakes his head. "I don't have stupid problems like that."</p>
<p>He sounds offended and Magnus smiles. It does worry him more, though. Alexander is a little different than the other kids, in the way that he's overly serious, calling some of normal childish things 'stupid' and being much more willing to work than the other kids. It's not that he's rude to the other kids, no. He usually says what he thinks when Magnus is around to speak to.</p>
<p>"All right, no stupid problems. Please tell me what's bothering you so I can help you."</p>
<p>There's a lot of silence and hesitation but Magnus is patient. He's had a soft spot for Alexander since the day he saw him and his baby bird wings for the first time.</p>
<p>"Why don't I have magic?" Alexander asks finally. It sounds like it costs him a lot to speak those words out loud and it's obvious the question is one that has been bothering him for a long time.</p>
<p>Maybe if Magnus lived in the community, he would have seen it happening sooner. He did know that the boy hasn't started using magic yet but he hasn't given it much thought for many reasons.</p>
<p>"Magic doesn't come to everyone at the same age," he says gently but the boy just shakes his head.</p>
<p>"I know that. Everyone says that. But I'm old now."</p>
<p>Magnus doesn't answer right away. Unfortunately, it is true it's a little late. Five, six and seven years are the usual. Alexander is closer to nine now than to seven. Magnus doesn't want to make a mistake here. Empty reassurances will probably only make the boy resent Magnus for it.</p>
<p>He is the child with the most prominent warlock mark and the least magic to show for it, and it must weigh on his eight-year-old heart.</p>
<p>"I don't know why it hasn't manifested yet, sweetheart," Magnus tells him. "There is no spell to force it, either. I wish we could have met your mom because it might be related to her or the rest of your family. I think it's still possible you are only an exceptionally late bloomer but I won't tell you to wait for it. Maybe something blocked it before we found you. If it never comes to you, you still have to make the best of what you do have."</p>
<p>Alexander doesn't say anything, so Magnus asks: "Have you started learning to fly?"</p>
<p>The boy nods.</p>
<p>"I'm too weak, though."</p>
<p>"That's fine. They will keep growing with you. Keep practicing but don't push yourself, alright? Even if you're too old for magic, you're still very young. Please look at me, Alexander."</p>
<p>When he does, Magnus continues.</p>
<p>"Not having magic doesn't make you useless. Let adults worry about everything while you keep up your studies and practice with your wings."</p>
<p>The boy nods but he still looks dejected.</p>
<p>"And if your magic doesn't wake in the following months, we'll figure out something else. Everyone has more than a single talent and you'll find yours, I can at least promise you that."</p>
<p>Alexander isn't enthusiastic about any of it but at least he's actually listening to what Magnus is saying. The older warlock is certain the boy will be thinking it over for a while, probably instead of sleeping at night.</p>
<p>"Are you leaving soon?" he asks Magnus.</p>
<p>"No. I just got here. I'll stay a few days, maybe a week."</p>
<p>The truth was, Magnus planned only to check on his friends and the kids and leave, but he feels he should stay a while to spend a little more time with the kids and Alexander in particular.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>Catarina wakes to a terrible feeling in her chest and she doesn't waste time figuring out what is happening, instead jumping out of bed and rushing out of her room. It was her warding, boosted by Magnus's magic, alarming her about the danger. Danger inside the building.</p>
<p>Soon enough, she hears a noise, shouting and a scream. She runs, not bothering to stop by to get Ragnor, who was visiting for the last three days. He must already be woken by the wards as well.</p>
<p>When she reaches the younger girls' room, she throws her magic out to shield the cowering children from a spider demon crawling down the wall towards them.</p>
<p>She shouts at them to run before she can drop the shield and burn the creature with another spell.</p>
<p>Maia is already in the corridor, collecting the children around her. Maia usually sleeps in the room at the other end of the wing, in the older girls' area, so she was nearby and must have been woken by the noise.</p>
<p>"There's more," she says when Catarina comes out of the bedroom. She's wide-eyed and probably in shock but she's keeping it together as well as a thirteen-year-old can.</p>
<p>"Where's Alec?" Catarina asks her.</p>
<p>"Upstairs."</p>
<p>Catarina takes a second to think. She can feel magic now so Ragnor is probably already upstairs. Some of the teenage warlocks are probably able to help him at least a little. Deciding to cast a tracking spell, Catarina concentrates. She closes her eyes to be able to follow her magic as it rushes out in a circular wave, like a radar.</p>
<p>Three more demons. One downstairs but there isn't anyone there at night, it's basically basement. The demon is probably waiting for them to run there and get trapped. Two more upstairs and one of them winks out of existence while the spell lasts.</p>
<p>Catarina opens her eyes.</p>
<p>"Maia, take the girls and go outside. Be careful."</p>
<p>The healer ignores the demon downstairs and runs upstairs to help. She finds Ragnor and one of the teenagers, Elias, helping protect the other kids. Dust from a recently burned demon is settling over the floor and furniture.</p>
<p>She can't see Alec and it makes a chill run down her spine. There's still one demon left.</p>
<p>Quickly, she tells the others about the demons' location and to stay put where they are while she and Ragnor go to get rid of the one lurking somewhere in the bedrooms ahead of them.</p>
<p>They can hear commotion so they run, magic ready at their fingertips… but the demon is already dead when they barge into the bedroom. Covered in ichor and blood, Alec sits atop the gross, convulsing corpse of another spider demon, his hands pushing down something that he used to stab it.</p>
<p>The room is a mess and the teenager is breathing hard, not moving as if he's waiting to see if the thing is really dead.</p>
<p>Catarina stops only for a moment before she's rushing to his side, taking his face in her hands to see if he's alright. She brushes some of the blood from his cheek with her fingers while sending out healing magic. Demons don't bleed red so it must be Alec's blood but she can't see wounds under the red and black mess. The boy doesn't seem to even notice the ichor touching his bare skin, while it makes Catarina's hands <em>itch</em>.</p>
<p>He seems to be mostly okay. He was clawed at by the demon but it's nothing she can't heal quickly, even before the corpse disintegrates while Alec is still sitting on it. His black feathers, forced lose in the fight, stick to the floor in the ichor.</p>
<p>Clutched in his hands, remains the pocket knife Luke had gifted him for one of his birthdays.</p>
<p>"Alec. Are you okay?" Catarina asks because the boy has yet to say anything.</p>
<p>He turns his eyes to her and her heart clenches. Fourteen-year-old boys shouldn't have to kill demons with their own hands, not when it's so long after the war and the troubles that lingered after it ended. Boys shouldn't be covered in blood after fighting for their lives.</p>
<p>Finally, after too long, he nods slowly.</p>
<p>Catarina looks at Ragnor, who's standing in the doorway, watching them.</p>
<p>"Will you get the one in the basement? I think I should stay-"</p>
<p>"Naturally. Won't take longer than a second," Ragnor says and vanishes in a blink of an eye.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Catarina makes Alec stand up and follow her out of the room. She puts her arm around him when she sees he needs it. It's become a little complicated to hug him like that since his wings grew, but she manages.</p>
<p>"Elias," she addresses the other boy waiting in the corridor. "You've got everyone?"</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>"Good, we're going out to Maia and the girls. You'll all wait outside while Ragnor and I make absolutely sure the building is clear and that you won't step into ichor."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Once she has everyone within sight, she can relax a little and check everyone over for injuries. There are multiple minor ones, such as bruises, cuts on hands of those who defended themselves by throwing things at the demons. Someone stepped barefoot into the glass of a window broken by the demon.</p>
<p>Thankfully, there are no toddlers currently under the care of the orphanage and the youngest is almost six.</p>
<p>She isn't looking forward to the aftermath of this attack and she'll probably have to ask one or two of her friends to come to stay for a while to make the kids feel safer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For now, she has to take care of the immediate issues with Ragnor's help. Luke will be getting off of work within an hour or two so she thinks she shouldn't ask him to do it sooner. He shouldn't have to come to clean up when he's already tired from a nightshift.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They clean up the glass and the dust that remained from disintegrating demons with magic. They right the furniture and then the older kids help change the bedding where needed.</p>
<p>Alec's room got the worst of it. After all remains of the demon and the blood are gone and the damaged items are fixed or removed altogether, Catarina doesn't bother with the bed. She doesn't think Alec will return to it for the following few nights.</p>
<p>He isn't doing too well. Wrapped in a blanket, he's sitting where he was told to sit in the kitchen and hasn't moved since then. Maia, becoming more concerned over him than her own fright, keeps him company. Some of the younger children who particularly like the werewolf girl, flock around her instead of going to try to sleep with the others, crowded in one of the common bedrooms, where they moved some of the other beds after deciding it was a good idea to stay together.</p>
<p>Only after Luke returns do they all agree to get some more sleep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>All except Alec, who sits silently in the kitchen. Ragnor comes to replace the children who kept him company and makes tea for the two of them. He doesn't tell Alec to drink it, he just sets it down in front of him.</p>
<p>"I hate spiders," the boy speaks so low Ragnor almost doesn't catch it.</p>
<p>"Ah. They are ugly creatures. Useful insects but as demons… well, I do not blame you for being terrified. You managed to kill it before it hurt anyone, however, and you should be proud of yourself."</p>
<p>Alec only shakes his head slowly. His eyes are red-rimmed.</p>
<p>"It took too long, without magic, I thought I was going to die."</p>
<p>Ragnor exhales softly.</p>
<p>"We're sorry for that. You shouldn't have had to fight at all. We'll figure out how they got through the wards to make sure it never happens again, but that's a task for tomorrow."</p>
<p>"I thought maybe if I fought for my life my magic would wake up," Alec admits and rubs at his eyes.</p>
<p>"Dear boy," Ragnor says, reaching out to put his hand on Alec's shoulder. "What you did tonight… I think you actually solved the mystery of your magic for us."</p>
<p>"What?" Alec looks up and blinks through the tears.</p>
<p>Ragnor holds out the pocket knife which was left on the floor when Catarina led Alec out of the bedroom.</p>
<p>"You know that only magic and enchanted weapons kill demons."</p>
<p>"Yeah."</p>
<p>"As far as I can tell, this is not an enchanted knife. Is it?"</p>
<p>"No, it's just something I got as a gift."</p>
<p>"And yet, you did kill that demon."</p>
<p>"Luckily, yeah."</p>
<p>"It was no luck. It's what you do. You're no warlock, Alec."</p>
<p>"What am I?" he whispers.</p>
<p>Ragnor doesn't answer right away, thinking. "I have one thing… If you can wait, I will get it and return with a magical item which will give me absolute certainty."</p>
<p>Confused, Alec can't really press the warlock to just <em>tell</em> him right now. He doesn't want to wait but he also understands the importance of making sure of it, whatever he is. So he lets Ragnor go, even though his heart is pounding, both from the past fear and the new surprise.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ragnor is back after two hours, Magnus in tow. Magnus isn't the magical item but he's needed for the new wards so Ragnor made a round trip getting several things.</p>
<p>As expected, Alec has moved by then to sleep curled up on the old couch in the common living room. His wings are covering him as well as the blanket and he looks somewhat peaceful, although there is still tension in his body.</p>
<p>Magnus, who is well-rested, works to replace all wards on the building and makes them stronger. He suspects a greater demon might have meddled in this attack but he can't be certain. Hopefully, it was a freak single attack and not a beginning of something worse.</p>
<p>After that, he watches over the place while the other adults and the kids make up for the lost sleep.</p>
<p>He sits down in the living room with the miserable ball of black feathers sleeping on the couch. He's thinking about what Ragnor has told him before they portaled back to the orphanage. It does answer a lot of questions but raises a few others, particularly about Alexander's lost mother.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Alec wakes and lifts his right wing, he sees Magnus and despite everything, he smiles.</p>
<p>"Magnus!"</p>
<p>"Hello, sweetheart. I've heard you had quite the night."</p>
<p>"Yeah," Alec looks at his feet after he sits up and lets them on the floor. "Is Ragnor back?"</p>
<p>"Yes, we came together but you were sleeping and it'd have been a shame to wake you for something that can wait."</p>
<p>Alec moves to stand but Magnus raises his hand and he stops.</p>
<p>"It's going to wait ten minutes longer because I want you to eat something first. Breakfast is on me today. What would you like?"</p>
<p>Alec doesn't want to think about food but he <em>is</em> hungry and he has always eaten more than the others because of the extra limbs he owns. Besides, he wants to humor Magnus.</p>
<p>So he thinks of something that will take little time to eat and something that he thinks he can stomach today.</p>
<p>Pleased with his answer, Magnus claps his hands and calls the breakfast to a platter, which he then hands to Alec. For himself, he calls a cup of coffee.</p>
<p>While Alec eats, Magnus talks about where he's been when Ragnor came to get him. He tells Alec about what Dot is doing and about other things that don't matter right now, but which work to soothe Alec's mind, even though the teenager knows that's intentional on Magnus's part.</p>
<p>When the breakfast is gone and the platter disappears, Magnus decides it's time to go find Ragnor.</p>
<p>Sitting down in the office room, with the three warlocks there with him, Alec feels nervous. Something important is going to happen, he knows it.</p>
<p>Ragnor presents a strange rock to him and doesn't say anything about what it is. It's cloudy white, uneven in shape but smooth-looking. He hands it over to Alec, who takes it. It begins glowing immediately and Alec almost drops it but it isn't hot, it just glows brightly.</p>
<p>"Give it to Magnus," Ragnor tells him, so Alec does.</p>
<p>The stone glows red when only Magnus is touching it. Alec is so confused but Magnus doesn't look surprised at all that he made it glow.</p>
<p>"There we have it," Ragnor announces and Alec still doesn't know <em>anything</em>.</p>
<p>"You aren't a faulty warlock, Alexander," Magnus tells him. "You're something else, very rare."</p>
<p>"Will you finally just tell me instead of all of you being so cryptic?" Alec nearly wants to yell at them but he keeps his voice down.</p>
<p>"You're a Nephilim, dear boy," Ragnor says.</p>
<p>"You don't have a warlock mark," Catarina adds. "They're just your wings. If we ever found your family, they'd be winged as well."</p>
<p>"This is a witchlight," Magnus says, passing the rock back to Alec, and it glows pure white again in his hands. "Only angel-blooded creatures can make it glow, which is the final proof."</p>
<p>"But- it was red?"</p>
<p>Magnus nods. "I wasn't warlock-born like Ragnor or Dot. My father was a greater demon and greater demons used to be angels a very long time ago."</p>
<p>"Oh." Alec looks down at his hands. "But then… what does it mean? Ragnor started talking about the way I killed the demon…?"</p>
<p>"Yes, that. Only Nephilim have the ability to kill a demon with anything they use. You could take any knife, sword, possibly even a gun and kill it. No other being can do that."</p>
<p>"Seelies fight with swords…"</p>
<p>"Yes, but you know all their belongings are enchanted in one way or another."</p>
<p>"Why didn't you tell us about Nephilim?" Alec tries the word out. It sounds strange. "I don't know anything about them or what it means to be one…"</p>
<p>"It isn't because we were trying to hide anything from you," Catarina says gently. "We never taught you about unicorns or mermaids even though they also exist. They're just so <em>rare</em>."</p>
<p>"Nephilim have been becoming a myth, lately," Ragnor adds. "We know they <em>exist</em> but they're… gone. Not extinct but they live somewhere we don't know. They keep to themselves and they definitely have glamour magic."</p>
<p>"They definitely do," Magnus agrees. "Your mother must have been glamouring her wings to go unnoticed in the old community. Unfortunately, we can't teach you to do it because we don't know how."</p>
<p>Alec draws his wings closer to his body instinctively.</p>
<p>"It's okay, I'm too used to them anyway."</p>
<p>"Since they're not a random warlock mark, I expect they're even more suited for flying than we thought. It's a shame you have no one of your kind to teach you more about them but I know you've been making progress on your own."</p>
<p>Alec shrugs. "I guess."</p>
<p>Magnus smiles. "You're going to be just fine, Alexander. Now you won't have to worry about not being good enough because you simply don't have competition."</p>
<p>"And we will help you, of course," Ragnor adds. "There must be something we can find about Nephilim that will be useful to you."</p>
<p>Finally, Alec manages a weak smile. He has too much to think of. The terrible night, the new information, everything is so sudden but he's glad he knows now.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>For his sixteenth birthday, Alec gets more visitors than he expected to show up. Magnus is there, of course. So is Dot and Ragnor. Luke is home, too, so they all throw something like a party. Magnus tries to make it fancy but Alec just shakes his head with exasperation.</p>
<p>He's happy, though. He's happy he has people he cares for and who care for him.</p>
<p>They eat too much food and the adults share a drink or two. Alec keeps stealing glances at Magnus, who looks particularly radiant that evening. He stops when Maia kicks him in the shin under the table.</p>
<p>He receives gifts, too. He wasn't expecting any but apparently sixteen is a big deal for some reason that he doesn't understand. He gets books bought by Maia, that the other kids chipped in for. Luke gifts him a pass to a mundane shooting range and says Alec can go with either him or Alaric.</p>
<p>Magnus and Ragnor approach him together but they hold separate boxes.</p>
<p>"I found this a few weeks ago," Magnus admits, looking down at his fancy, beribboned box. "I remembered your birthday was coming up and though it won't hurt anything to wait a while."</p>
<p>Curious, Alec takes the box and takes the top off. Inside it, on dark velvet, rests a metal stick. A strange, decorated, metal stick with a crystal of some sort at its end.</p>
<p>"This is a Nephilim item that took a long time for me to find. It was, if you can imagine, in a mundane museum, completely mislabeled."</p>
<p>Alec's brows rise. "You stole from a museum for me?"</p>
<p>Magnus waves his hand dismissively. "They don't even know what they had. And I did replace it with a fake."</p>
<p>"Okay. So what is it?"</p>
<p>"It's a tool," Ragnor answers instead of Magnus. "And for that, you'll need this," he says, indicating the much larger package he's holding.</p>
<p>Alec sets the gift from Magnus aside to look at the second one. There are papers in it. Lots and lots of loose pages tied together with strings. At first glance, Alec can tell they're many different types of paper from different times.</p>
<p>"This is everything I've found so far. I didn't steal those," Ragnor stresses, looking at Magnus. "I duplicated the pages as they were. Now, I cannot tell how much of it is the truth and how much contains mistakes or made-up stories, but I'm sure it will be of use to you. There is information relevant to the tool. It's called a stele and like the witchlight, only a Nephilim can make any use of it. Even greater demons can't do it."</p>
<p>Alec nods, gripping the papers.</p>
<p>"That's… a lot. Thank you so much, both of you. I will read it all as soon as I can."</p>
<p>The two warlocks smile at him.</p>
<p>"Don't strain yourself reading it all in one sitting," Magnus teases.</p>
<p>Ragnor adds: "Remember to use your brain to sift out the nonsense out of it. As I said, not all of it will be the truth but I thought you deserved to have it all, so you can know as much about yourself as you can. Even the myths."</p>
<p>Alec's throat feels tight.</p>
<p>"I understand. Thank you again, it means so much to me."</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>Alec learns to shoot a bow. After Luke gave him the opportunity to test out some weapons, Alec decided he was drawn to a bow the most. He thinks about it this way: if he's blessed with the ability to kill demons, it doesn't matter how strong the weapon is but how safe and useful it is. Alec does not want to bring anything like a gun to a house full of teenagers and new children. Besides, he knows Catarina frowned at Luke's idea.</p>
<p>So, a bow. The kids won't be able to draw it, they're too weak to do any damage. It's silent and it's light even if it's big.</p>
<p>In the papers Ragnor gifted him and then continued to bring to Alec over the following months, Alec found many useful things.</p>
<p>Several of the pages contain strange drawings, that Alec realized were also on the stele. Apparently, there exists a book full of other similar drawings, called runes. Ragnor told him not to expect to ever see that book, unless they find other Nephilim. So he makes do with the handwritten notes and the few runes he has.</p>
<p>It's hard, having to test and figure things out himself but it's ways better than having nothing and thinking he was a broken warlock. Ragnor has always liked quiet research so Alec doesn't even feel bad that the warlock is travelling the world, visiting all kinds of archives for his sake.</p>
<p>And Magnus, too. He brings Alec trinkets and various news but not much about Nephilim.</p>
<p>Alec wishes he would visit more often or for longer but Magnus is a free spirit and Alec can only keep his thoughts to himself.</p>
<p>When he hears Magnus has been travelling with Dot, he swallows down jealousy.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>Alec and Maia, and Elias, have been working for the past summer. Maia decided she wants to pass the entrance exams to a mundane university and Alec cheers her on. Elias is going to leave soon to learn magic as an apprentice to a warlock in another Downworld community.</p>
<p>And Alec… he doesn't know what he wants to do. He knows he doesn't want to move out. If he can, he wants to stay and keep helping Catarina but not as her kid but as an adult. He's almost eighteen, now. He can fly, he can shoot a bow well. He learned to draw runes. Healing rune, locking and unlocking rune, sight and one rune that didn't really have a coherent commentary under it but when he drew it on himself, on his left arm, it stayed there permanently. Alec still isn't entirely sure what it does but he believes it's tied to Nephilim in general, not for a specific purpose like the others. He thinks it's making him better in general, in a subtle way.</p>
<p>The thing is, he's sure the runes are named on the papers under each drawing but he simply cannot read the language, only the written notes by whoever had copied the drawings. Ragnor has been trying to find a way to translate it but he hasn't succeeded so far.</p>
<p>Anyway, Alec thinks he wants to stay and protect the orphanage for as long as Catarina wants to keep it open for kids. Maybe he doesn't want to live in the building itself forever, maybe he should try and move out on his own someday, but he wants to stay nearby. Luke and Maia are staying, too, with the exception of her studies if she's accepted.</p>
<p>Demons will never stop being a threat to the magical and mundane beings, no matter how well they protect themselves against them and if Alec's heritage is killing demons, he wants to own it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Catarina isn't happy when he starts going out actually <em>hunting</em> demons but she can't stop him. He's too old for her to force to do anything and besides that, after the first little success, something wakes in him.</p>
<p>He'd been too young and too terrified that night when he'd killed his first demon to feel it. Now, much more aware of everything, he knows he doesn't want to stop and isn't sure he should.</p>
<p>He wears the glamour pendant from Magnus whenever he goes out to mundane areas and stays careful at all times. He'd have hated to make a mistake and disappoint Catarina or worse, get himself hurt. He kills at least one demon every few days.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Him wanting to stay isn't all about his ability to protect. He's good with kids and Catarina has told him so multiple times, even when he was younger and grumbled about it a lot. And since the truth of him was revealed, the younger kids started to look to him with something like awe. At the time, Maia thought it was incredibly cool that he got to know something about himself and Elias probably wanted to study him, though he wouldn't say that to Alec's face. The warlock boy has always been into books, research and science.</p>
<p>But while the older teenagers got over the novelty as the time passed, the new kids still thought it was cool to be the only one of his race. It wasn't that they ignored that he must be lonely, but they focused on the fact his abilities, such as flight, were <em>unique</em>. It did make it easier for him to manage them when they looked up to him, so Alec, of course, took advantage of that when needed.</p>
<p>All in all, he's content. He isn't losing hope of finding out more and more about his own people as the time passes and Ragnor brings him more crumbs to his collection.</p>
<p>Alec is still lonely in a way and he still sometimes has dreams where his mother comes back for him, but he isn't the only one. Maia, though she has the pack, also dreams about her dead family sometimes. Luke is as much of a father to her as Catarina is a mother to Alec, so they both deal with it and don't dwell on their orphan status.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Alec only wishes Magnus would visit more often. Since his sixteenth birthday, the warlock has only been by a few times, for three days at a time at the most. Alec keeps telling himself he is not jealous of the other people in the wide world who get to see the warlock more than Alec does.</p>
<p> </p>
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